The country that gave us the words restaurant, bistro and cuisine is changing how it eats. For the first time in France, fast food overtook traditional restaurant receipts as the economic crisis deepened.

Looking for a cozy, culinary getaway? Café Provence and the Lilac Inn are hosting a series of Vermont Culinary Retreat Weekends for visitors with a passion for cooking and a desire to experience a classic Vermont country inn.

Located just off rue de Rivoli on a pedestrian stretch of rue St. Martin in le Marais, Benoit Matray’s restaurant still exudes the same seductive charms that made his Lyons-style restaurant such a neighborhood favorite during his lifetime.